Wicomico County submitted their formal letter request to Maryland State Highway for a stoplight at Mt. Hermon/Walston Switch intersection back in August 2019. At that point, there were officials working with the Airport that knew full well Walston Switch Extended would be terminating through traffic at some point in the near future thus significantly improving the safety of the intersection (check out the Airport Master Plan draft showing a cul-de-sac dated April 2019 here: https://flysbyairport.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/16093-SBY-ALP-TAP-4-23-19-reduced.pdf ). Yet they proceeded ahead not sharing that info with MD. The stoplight was approved almost immediately by MD at the end of November - curiously without all the standard traffic volume studies. So that Wicomico County Lobbyist is apparently paying off after all. Oh wait, you didn't know there was such a thing? Neither did the County Council members for the first couple months of his tenure, here's a fun Council clip after finding out in October: https://youtu.be/5WvHcX3p9lM?t=2905
And how about that city/county pre-annexation agreement for the water project to the airport? Oh wait, what agreement? That's right. They haven't come to one. And the project starts 3/1 officially, but you can take a ride down Walston Switch & see they've already started prep and spent a ton of taxpayers money doing so.
Almost 40 million in the budget for this airport over the next 5 years, with cut after cut to the schools (spread your wings & fly high on your own Mardela!). For what? One week it's to bring the worldwide elite in their 757's that would otherwise swing by BWI to layover and refuel. Those guys are going to LOVE this town (hopefully they'll arrive with full security staff should they choose to venture out after dark). Or is it actually for hometown Piedmont (that doesn't book to capacity even when can 3/4 of the year anyway)? What is the REAL driving factor behind all the airport expansion? And is it really good for the people who live here?
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33 comments:
Salisbury airport just trying to get some big boy pants
Good questions and observations. Seems to be a lack of transparency here. Is it because the changes/improvements will benefit certain unnamed parties? Just doesn't pass the smell test!
drones, there going to run drones out of the airport.
Locals are really not that sophisticated to need airport expansion anyway.
10:29am, go stick your nose up in the city somewhere. Who the hell are you to judge what the locals are or are not.
There is a MAJOR problem with all of these plans for expansion.
Ground transportation to and from this new and improved modern facility.
The problem is the same local leaders seem oblivious to historically as usual.
A four lane state highway needs to be built from the by-pass directly to the terminal and commercial facilities.
This will relieve excess truck and facility traffic on RESIDENTIAL streets.
This should have been done in the 70’s when they built the by-pass and again when they expanded the airport.
It probably will never be done. Lol
Speak for yourself, Bubba.
By sophisticated do you mean we locals who don't hold our pinkies out to drink tea? Wealth and etiquette have nothing to do with being sophisticated, there are a hell of a lot more 'sophisticated ' people here on the shore than you will find across the 'big pond'!
Maybe the Town of Ocean City will base there fleet of toy drones at the new $1,700,000 drone center of innovation hanger being built at tax payers expense at the Salisbury airport.
Neither are transplants 10:29
I am guessing Military has an effect on this, could the longer runway allow larger Military planes to "touch and go"? As far as I know it is already one of the longest runways in MD next to BWI.
It seems to me the Military air traffic has increased in the past few years, not sure if that is a revenue generator for the airport or not. Would be interesting to find out.
Actually there is nothing going to be in that building. It's a future drone program look into it they want to start a drone program for now it's just another building. Field of dreams build it and they will come. There is no lease no occupancy no one set to go it the multi million dollar project building
Not exactly nothing. The County is currently advertising for bids the fit out for the interior of that building. Floor plans that show multiple offices and conference rooms are included in the bid documents. The fit out will cost another $500,000.
The problem with the city/county pre-annexation agreement for the water project to the airport is that Wayne Strausburg does not want to sign an agreement that grants the city the right to annex the entire airport. That creates the added problem that Jake Day absolutely can not agree to relinquish the pre-annexation requirement because that will set a precedent that every future developers will demand that they too are released from the pre-annexation requirement when the developers asked for City of Salisbury water service. If I where Jake Day, I’d tell Strausburg to either sign the pre-annexation agreement or build your own airport water supply.
Why isn't the airport charging landing fees? Lots of other airport do! they charge you to park your car there, if you can afford an airplane and the gas then you can afford to pay landing fees! maybe just maybe some of those fees would offset some of the costs instead of the taxpayer bearing the brunt so people or companies with airplanes can get a break! You can damn straight bet american has PHL and CLT's landing fees built into their ticket price!
Total BS!
Do a little research. The flights have not been full due to the runway needed to get a plane filled to capacity off the ground. The runway expansion is needed to accommodate this. Not saying there does not need to be transparency, just need information to be put out to avoid misinformation.
3:37PM Those planes can fly full except under extremely hot conditions - equating to less than a month around here - and would if ticket sales called for it, but they don't because the demand isn't high enough to regularly book to capacity. Do a little research please to avoid misinformation.
3:37PM Those planes can fly full except under extremely hot conditions - equating to less than a month around here - and would if ticket sales called for it, but they don't because the demand isn't high enough to regularly book to capacity. Do a little research please to avoid misinformation.
Tilghman Rd Corner Needs a Light !!
Snow Hill Rd @ Dollar store needs a Light !!!
Incompetant Govt don't care !!!
3:37 Your first statement is pure misinformation and downright comical it’s so stupid.
The runway is 6400 feet long now. That is plenty long enough for a capacity filled 737-800 to take off and land safely let alone the small Embraers, Dashes, King-Airs and C-130’s that regularly use it.
So, no. That’s not it.
Exactly! When Allegiant was flying non stop to Orlando from Salisbury, they were flying 150 seat, fully load DC-9s. I know this for a fact cause I worked for piedmont at that time loading bags into that aircraft.
I would love to see Spirit Airlines at SBY .American Airlines is price gouging usually $100.00 more than RT flights in and out of BWI....
When Kirwan kicks in. The Prince Georges elite can fly down and see the new eastern shore ghetto Wrecomico Slumsbury.
Military has long runways at wallops Island
The runway is long enough for Trump force one which is a 757. It's long enough for Vice President Pence's Air Force 2(when he is on it) Which is a 757(it does touch and goes here). Its long enough for Allegiant air's DC9s. Come to think about it... The last time the Salisbury-Ocean City-Wicomico-Regional airport(yes that's its real name no matter how many times they change the sign out front) did a runway extension they touted how much business it would bring. It brought Allegiant air who left after a year because no one wanted to fly out of Baltimore Jr. Now that they are closing Walston switch 10 bucks says there will be twice as many accidents at Airport road and Mt. Hermon. Then people will be calling for a traffic light, round-a-bout etc. Keep up the great work spending our taxpayers money for things we don't want or need!
Like a lobbyist.
I believe, as a Democrat voter
ROUTE 50 is in need of Red Lights at every intersection and cross overs.
The runway is long enough for Trump force one which is a 757. It's long enough for Vice President Pence's Air Force 2(when he is on it) Which is a 757(it does touch and goes here). Its long enough for Allegiant air's DC9s. Come to think about it... The last time the Salisbury-Ocean City-Wicomico-Regional airport(yes that's its real name no matter how many times they change the sign out front) did a runway extension they touted how much business it would bring. It brought Allegiant air who left after a year because no one wanted to fly out of Baltimore Jr. Now that they are closing Walston switch 10 bucks says there will be twice as many accidents at Airport road and Mt. Hermon. Then people will be calling for a traffic light, round-a-bout etc. Keep up the great work spending our taxpayers money for things we don't want or need!
Like a lobbyist...
Well, the runway extension did keep piedmont airlines at the SBY airport who, before the runway extension, operated a fleet of only turboprop airplanes. Today piedmont airlines operates a fleet of only jets.
What runway extension? They haven't done it. It'll never happen. They're bungling everything. And now closing Walston Switch? Insane. Disgusting mismanagement there. Will the Council ever step in?
Annexing Your Neighborhoods is "WHAT" is Going on !!!!!
Doubling Your Taxes + Water & Sewer charges > That's WHAT
Haven’t you seen the County’s next 5 year capital improvements program? $33M is going to be spent on a no-needed runway extension and a 38,000 sf huge hanger during the next 3 years alone. That more money than the County plans to spend on 34 schools. Dawn Veatch is a con artist and Culver and every member of the Wicomico County Council have agreed to her pipe dream.
Jake day will ruin the water main project just to screw with Bob Culver . Shame on him .
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